Fuel engine



Aug. 13, 1935. Q CARRINGTQN 2,011,033

FUEL ENGINE Filed Feb. 2, 1931 2 sheets -sheet 1 Hil HHHHN Patented Aug. 13, 1935 FUEL ENGINE Cabcll' Carlington, South Pasadena, Calif assignor to Ellen P. Carrington, Pasadena, Calif.

Application February 2, 1931, Serial No. 512E859 2 Claims.

My invention relates to improvements in fuel injector valves in which the liquid fuel is forced under very high pressure into and through a cylinder containing air at a high pressure and temperature and thence through a conical nozzle in the form of a finely divided mist into the combustion chamber of the engine. My improvement is for use in connection with internal combustion engines using a fuel such as gasoline or a heavier liquid oil: and the objects of my improvement are, first, to provide a positive means of introducing a liquid fuel directly into an engine cylinder, the engine cylinder containing pure air under a pressure and at a temperature less than that required to produce spontaneous combustion; second, to

eliminate in engines employing a compression pressure and temperature less than that required to produce spontaneous combustion the necessity for vaporizing a liquid fuel and introducing it through a carburation system in conjunction with the air supply before compression; third, to elimihate in engines using direct liquid fuel injection the necessity for a compression pressure and temperature in the engine cylinder sufl'icient to cause spontaneous combustion of the fuel; and, fourth, to provide a fuel injector valve capable of receiving from a source outside of the engine cylinder high pressure air from which none of the heat of compression has been removed.

I attain these objects by the mechanism illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which' Figure 1 is a vertical section of the entire mechanism; Fig. 2, a horizontal section of the mechanism along the line 22, Fig. 1.

Similar numerals refer to similar parts throughout the several views.

The cylindrical chamber I leads through the conical nozzle 2 directly into the engine cylinder 3. The needle or piston valve 4 isslidably mounted in the cylindrical mixing chamber I so that when it is depressed to its lowest position it seats on the walls of the conical nozzle 2 and closes the opening into the engine cylinder 3. The main air feed pipe 5 is connected to the cylindrical chamber I by the conical port 6 which is closed by the automatic safety valve I thus precluding any possibility of a back fire into the main air feed pipe 5.

The fuel feed pipe 8 leads into the cone shaped fuel nozzle 9 which is pierced through its apex by the high pressure air duct I0. This high pressure air duct I0 leads from the high pressure air feed pipe I I through a horizontal holein theneedle valve 4 and thence down through the fuel nozzle 9 into the cylindrical mixing chamber I. The high pressure air duct I0 is therefore closed by the needle valve 4 at all times except when the needle valve 4 is raised to its highest position, and when the needle valve 4 is closed and seated in the conical nozzle" 2 the conical port 6 and the cone shaped fuel nozzle 9 are also closed by the needle valve 4.

The needle valve 4 is operated and controlled by means of the spring I2, rocker arm I3, and cam I4 driven by the main crank shaft, in a customary manner. The latter three are merely indicated in Fig. 1 for purposes of clearness, as they would vary with the size and type of engine employing this mechanism and except for actuating the needle valve 4 at the proper time and in the proper manner they do not form a part of my improvement. I prefer to use an engine piston having a cup shaped or spherical depression in its top to allow a proper distribution of the fuel spray inthe engine cylinder, but except in this particular the engine piston I5, one of the engine valves I6 and the two spark plugs II-l'l, (see Fig. 2)- are indicated for purposes of cleamess and do not form a part of my improvement. The needle valve air relief vents I 8, I8 are placed so as to allow a cushioning effect of the air in the upper part of the cylinder chamber I at the highest position of the needle valve 4. The water jacket I9 is for cooling purposes.

For a proper functioning of my improvement the engine should draw in through its ordinary intake valves l6 pure air only and compress it on the compression stroke to an intial pressure of from fifty to one hundred or more pounds per square inch before ignition. The air admitted into the cylinder through the intake valve I6 is used for combustion with the subsequently injected fuel. After injection of the fuel by my improvement, ignition through an ordinary electric spark plug and expansion, the engine should release the exhaust gases through its ordinary exhaust valve.

For a proper functioning of my improvement there should be an air compressor connected to the engine to supply air at the required pressure to the main air feed pipe 5, and the high pressure air feed pipe I I, and a means for supplying the fuel to the fuel feed pipe 8 under pressure.

It is to be understood that the mixing chamber I is of materially smaller volume than the expansion or combustion chamber 3. The size of the mixing chamber is dependent upon the operating conditions desired, but should be such as to only permit an initial ignition of the fuel therein. It should be of such volume as to contain only suflicient air to cause such initial ignition of the fuel, the ignited fuel being then discharged through the constricted outlet of the mixing or ignition chamber into the main expansion and combustion chamber 3 wherein the ignited fuel is then completely burned by reason of the air admitted previously through the valve or valves Hi.

through the high pressure air feed pipe ll, thus employing so-called airless or solid injection into and through the screen of compressed air in the cylinder I.

For purposes of illustration, I will take as an example an engine having an initial compression before ignition of sixty pounds per square inch and a final maximum pressure after ignition of two hundred and fifty pounds per square inch. Air at a pressure of two hundred and fifty pounds per square inch is supplied to the main air feed pipe 5, and air at a pressure of three hundred and seventy-five pounds per square inch is supplied to the high pressure air feed pipe H. The fuel, gasoline, is supplied to the fuel feed pipe 8 under a pressure of two hundred and fifty pounds per square inch.

The cam l4 raises the needle valve 4 from its seat in the conical nozzle 2, eight degrees before top dead center of the engine pistons compression stroke. The automatic safety valve 1 at once opens, admitting air under two hundred and fifty pounds pressure per square inch to the chamber l, and thence through the nozzle 2 to the engine cylinder 3. The area of opening of the automatic safety valve 1 is two or more times larger than the area of the opening in the nozzle 2 so that the pressure in the chamber I quickly approaches two hundred and fifty pounds per square inch. The needle valve reaches the top of its lift and opens the high pressure air duct three degrees before top dead center of the engine pistons compression stroke, and the high pressure air at three hundred and seventy-five pounds per square inch drives a metered charge of fuel from the cone shaped fuel nozzle 9, down against and through the compressed air in the chamber I, and thence with the stream of air already moving through the nozzle 2 into the engine cylinder 3. The fuel in its passage through the chamber I and the nozzle 2 becomes finely divided and mixed with the high pressure air and enters the engine cylinder 3 in the form of a finely divided mist or spray.

Ignition by means of one or more common electric spark plugs l'|-l'l, placed in the head of the engine cylinder, takes place at top dead center of the engine pistons stroke; the needle valve 4 closes the high pressure air duct seventeen degrees after top dead center of the engine pistons power stroke; the chamber l is scavenged by air from the main feed pipe 5 during the downward movement of the needle valve 4, which closes the nozzle 2, twenty-two degrees after top dead center of the engine pistons power stroke. ,The speed and power of the engine may be governed by a control of the fuel supplied to the fuel feed pipe 8.

The numerical values of the pressures and of the degrees hereinbefore mentioned are used merely for purposes of illustration and in no way limit or restrict the use to which my improvement may be put.

The pressures of the air in the main air feed pipe 5, and in the high pressure air feed pipe H will vary with the type of engine, kind of fuel, and type of air compressor used. When a type of air compression may be employed to supply air to my improvement sufiiciently high in pressure and temperature to cause spontaneous combustion of the fuel in the cylindrical chamber I, then the engines spark plugs may be removed and a heavy grade of oil used for fuel without the necessity of increasing the compression in the engine cylinder. As stated hereinbefore, a partial ignition of the fuel preferably takes place in the mixing chamber I, complete combustion taking place in the main cylinder by reason of the air previously admitted therein by valve l6 and compressed. Under such method of operation, the spark plugs I! may be dispensed with or used merely as a precautionary measure.

I am aware that prior to my invention fuel injector valves employing an injection of finely divided fuel mixed with air have been made. I therefore do not claim such a combination broadly; but

I claim:

1. In an internal combustion engine, the combination of a working cylinder, a piston operably carried therein, an exhaust port in communicatlon with the upper end of said cylinder, an air inlet port in communication with the upper end of said cylinder, a mixing chamber, a constricted discharge port connecting said mixing chamber with the upper end of said cylinder, said port having an area sufliciently large to discharge a burning fuel mixture without extinguishing the same, a valved hot air port leading into said mixing chamber, a liquid fuel port leading to said mixing chamber, a valve positioned in said mixing chamber, said valve controlling said constricted discharge port, hot air port and liquid fuel port, and means for moving said valve in timed relation to the piston in said working cylinder to periodically uncover first said constricted port, then said hot air port, and then said liquid fuel port to permit the injection of fuel into said mixing zone and cylinder, and finally cover said hot air and liquid fuel ports and close said constricted discharge port.

2. In an internal combustion engine, the combination of a working cylinder, a piston operably carried therein, an exhaust port in communication with the upper end of said cylinder, an air inlet port in communication with the upper end of said cylinder, a -mixing chamber, a constricted discharge port connecting said mixing chamber with the upper end of said cylinder, said port having an area sufficiently large to discharge a burning fuel mixture without extinguishing the same, a valved hot air port communicating with said mixing chamber, a liquid fuel port leading to said mixing chamber, and air relief port leading to a point spaced from the end of said mixing chamber opposite said constricted discharge port, a slide valve positioned in said chamber and controlling said ports, and means for moving said valve in timed relation to the piston in said working cylinder so as to first open said discharge port and then uncover said valved hot air port and then uncover the liquid fuel port prior to completion of the compression stroke of said piston.

CABELL CARRINGTON. 

